There was an unruly mob of 700 odd people in a land isolated from the main city. This was near the labor camp of the construction site of FLAME. They had gathered around the school for the children of these laborers who were learning, working on computers and getting their mid day meals for the last 6 months.
People had supposedly gathered on an announcement of the gentleman in charge that there would be a flag hoisting ceremony on the Independence Day.
The 700 odd men and women consisted of people from different regions of the country. From Rajasthan to Orissa and from Bengal to Gujarat. From Tamil Nadu to Haryana. People with little hope for a better life. They were mostly unskilled laborers, earning their daily living working in the harshest of conditions. Rain, sunshine and severe cold. They have no choice but to work.
The gentleman in charge emerged from the small shack that can hardly be called his home. Used to living the plushest of Army Quarters, here was this man romanticizing his existence even in the worst of living conditions.
Suffering from Typhoid. He refused to move to a hospital. Even his elder brothers scolding and his boss’s orders did not convince him to get hospitalized at a time when his speech was slurring and he was having fainting fits. Because he felt FLAME had to start on 9th of September 2007. He walked up , in his full Army Uniform with all the medals proudly on his chest , to the flag post, and many memories of his army days went past. The images of an Army Flag hoisting and complete protocol, totally contrasted with this ceremony.
And he spoke after the flag hoisting. And what followed was spontaneous and something very few people can even imagine. The entire incidence was completely spontaneous and extremely emotional.
The 700 men and women raised their hands and said a quiet prayer and vowed that they would get the FLAME campus up and ready by the 9th of September 2007 without any compromise and complete dedication. When the oath was taken, the General was moved and he announced that he would like to see that all their children don’t end up becoming laborers like them. He said he would want that all their children become educated and officers and in positions of honor. A frail woman stood in one corner. She was better dressed then most people in the gathering. She quietly walked up to the General and told him that she vows that she will make her son a bigger officer than him one day. The claps were loud and everyone there was almost in tears.
And then a Carpenter from Rajasthan raised his hands and took out a Rs 100 note and asked the General if he can donate half his daily earning to the School. And more followed. Workers, Engineers, Contractors all donated. At the end of the day, the school had gathered Rs 40,000 by way of donations.
Could FLAME have had better dedication than this? Could FLAME have had a better leader of men and women? Could there have been a better instance of complete passion?
Should we all in the periphery not be setting aside our personal agendas, our egos, our small frailties and do our bit for a dream we call FLAME? Think of this. I urge you all!
Parag Shah
Chairman,
Foundation for Liberal And Management Education (FLAME)
Jaideep Bungalow,
Plot No. 2,
Prathamesh Park,
S. No. 150/7,
Baner-Balewadi Road,
Pune 411 045
Tel. Nos. 66401800 & 66401801
Fax No. 66401802
MS INDIA
http://www.flame.edu.in/
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Yatra
Ed's Note: When this blog started, our promise to you was to provide a platform for any and all information regarding FLAME. Now this was, as far as promises go, a fairly generic one. So when Pareen Lathia sent us this, we were fairly divided on it. Rahul thought that the "Yatra" poem/story published by FLAME was fairly relevant. I didn't think so, and a bunch of people I talked to agreed. Rahul's argument was this was what really distinguished FLAME from other institutions, and the fact that they were brave enough to publish this instead of talking about infrastructure the way other Institutions do was what initially convinced him to join FLAME. Mine was that this thing was an awful copy of previous poems, and holds no real information. This wasn't a journey anyone at FLAME went though, be it students, Faculty, or the Founders. It had nothing, really. So we laid that argument to rest and resolved to think on it further. Then it occurred to me that it wasn't really our opinions as individuals that mattered, but the collective opinion as a whole. So, we lay this out to the people now: What do you really think about "Yatra"?
On a side note, regardless of what we all think of the book, I think Pareen deserves to be applauded for taking time to actually scan all the pages of the 'Yatra' booklet and converting it into a Power Point presentation with some good animation work as well. So, thank you Pareen, on behalf of all the people who would want to download a copy of it and preserve it on their computers.
Without further ado, here are Pareen's thoughts on this, and the link to the show. It's about 14MB, for those of you on dial up or metered connections, it would take some time to download.
Pareen Lathia
Flame School of Business
Foundation of Liberal and Management Education, Pune
Here's the link for downloading the above file: http://www.devshard.net/yatra.pps
Credits for 'Yatra':
Concept: Subrata Bhowmick and Parag Shah
Sketches: Architect Rajeev Kathpalia
Photography: Parag Shah
Text: Abhay Joshi
Design: Subrata Bhowmick and Payal Nanavati
Published By: Foundation for Liberal and Management Education, Pune, India
Printed At: Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad, India
On a side note, regardless of what we all think of the book, I think Pareen deserves to be applauded for taking time to actually scan all the pages of the 'Yatra' booklet and converting it into a Power Point presentation with some good animation work as well. So, thank you Pareen, on behalf of all the people who would want to download a copy of it and preserve it on their computers.
Without further ado, here are Pareen's thoughts on this, and the link to the show. It's about 14MB, for those of you on dial up or metered connections, it would take some time to download.
Friend: "What are you doing these days?
Pareen: I'm going to Pune for my MBA.
Friend: Ohh! Thats great. Which institute? Symbiosis?
Pareen: No. It's called FLAME.
Friend: FLAMES? ...
Pareen: FLAME
Friend: OK! FLAME. But never heard of it before.
Pareen: Yaa...it's a new institute. We'll be the first batch.
Friend: Why? You did not get admission anywhere else?
Pareen: No! Actually...
Friend: How much do they charge? Fees and all?
Pareen: Actually, its a bit high...11 lakhs
Friend: What? Does this include the donation? Man! Why don't you try abroad then?
Pareen: Ohh! No...this is a good institute...faculty and all...
Friend: Do they guarantee placements?
Pareen: Ahh yes! The people behind this institute are big shots in the market dude! They will surely get good contacts!
Friend: And you know what, our President is the ex-Dean of IIM-A. And we have 110 acres of campus. We also have cottage apartments…and soccer field, golf course, cricket ground, open-air café, and we are getting Tablet PCs and just have a look at our menu…
Friend: Now this seems to be something. But still, 11 lakhs it a bit expensive.
I have had this experience every time I meet or even talk to any of my friends, relatives or even acquaintances. These are the times when, just for the sake of saving my face, I list all the "marketable" reasons for my joining FLAME.
But, there is one reason, which I consider more important than all the above put together, which I do not usually tell. That reason is FLAME's philosophy, the concept of Liberal Education, and the spirit with which people behind FLAME are working.
I hesitate to explain this to most of the people - just because they come with a different mindset. Also because I doubt my capabilities to explain these concepts and their importance.
So I decided to tell them a story. Yes, the same story that put some "Gyan" into my head and made me realize the true spirit of FLAME. The story that, I believe, would surely provide all the answers for the questions they asked.
People know what we tell them. And by telling them that FLAME is great just because of its faculty or infrastructure will limit FLAME's identity to that. But finally I won't have to create "a wrong image" of FLAME. I would be able to portray the FLAME that I am going into. And most probably I won't ever be able to explain what FLAME really is in a manner better than what this book does.
So I made the book called "Yatra" into a PowerPoint presentation – a presentation which will not only portray FLAME as it is, but also will serve as an answer to most of the questions. And not only can I show it to all my friends who want to know "What is FLAME?", but also keep it with myself for a lifetime. "
Pareen Lathia
Flame School of Business
Foundation of Liberal and Management Education, Pune
Here's the link for downloading the above file: http://www.devshard.net/yatra.pps
Credits for 'Yatra':
Concept: Subrata Bhowmick and Parag Shah
Sketches: Architect Rajeev Kathpalia
Photography: Parag Shah
Text: Abhay Joshi
Design: Subrata Bhowmick and Payal Nanavati
Published By: Foundation for Liberal and Management Education, Pune, India
Printed At: Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad, India
Monday, August 27, 2007
The Hyderabad Blasts
To begin with, I'd just like to tell everyone that as far as I know, no one coming to FLAME from Hyderabad is injured. We're all okay, perhaps a little shaken, but okay nonetheless.
Now, here's what really annoys me about this whole affair. The very object of terrorism, of any kind, is to incite fear. We didn't have Mass Media and Mass Communications in the days yore. Coincidentally, we never had terrorism then either. A person was taken and made an example of, yes, but acts of massive violence intended only to strike fear, never occurred. Every time anyone questioned the way things were done, someone was made into an object of fear, and that was the end of it. I think some of you have heard of a guy by the name of Jesus.
Today, it doesn't make a difference where a terrorist commits his/her act of terror. Between the Media hyping it up, the very atmosphere of fear we live in, and the politicians who turn death into victory, it gets out. In my very honest opinion, it's not the guy that blows up the bomb, drives a plane into a building, or poisons people that's the terrorist. Sure, he's a murderer, but he isn't the instrument of terror. That is more accomplished by the Media. In a frenzy for viewers, these hungry jackals get everyone from useless experts to old stories and spread panic.
A few months ago, we had a blast in the very center of Hyderabad. It was at a very old and valuable mosque. Did any of you outside Hyderabad even hear about it? Was the terror alert at Bombay pushed up? No, because everyone was afraid of riots breaking out. As soon as the Media was shut up, so did everything else. People went back to their lives within a few days. Nothing was closed, there were no ridiculous college students outside protesting. Everything was normal. You see where this is going?
I think all of us at FLAME, especially those in the School of Communication, should take this into account. You guys will be the ones involved in the business in a few years from now, and who knows, with a little luck and some effort you might be leading it. Do you guys really want to be the ones that enable murderers to make the transition to Terrorists? Do you guys want to be the ones that peddle panic and fear? I think those are questions that all of us should consider, all around the nation.
Now, here's what really annoys me about this whole affair. The very object of terrorism, of any kind, is to incite fear. We didn't have Mass Media and Mass Communications in the days yore. Coincidentally, we never had terrorism then either. A person was taken and made an example of, yes, but acts of massive violence intended only to strike fear, never occurred. Every time anyone questioned the way things were done, someone was made into an object of fear, and that was the end of it. I think some of you have heard of a guy by the name of Jesus.
Today, it doesn't make a difference where a terrorist commits his/her act of terror. Between the Media hyping it up, the very atmosphere of fear we live in, and the politicians who turn death into victory, it gets out. In my very honest opinion, it's not the guy that blows up the bomb, drives a plane into a building, or poisons people that's the terrorist. Sure, he's a murderer, but he isn't the instrument of terror. That is more accomplished by the Media. In a frenzy for viewers, these hungry jackals get everyone from useless experts to old stories and spread panic.
A few months ago, we had a blast in the very center of Hyderabad. It was at a very old and valuable mosque. Did any of you outside Hyderabad even hear about it? Was the terror alert at Bombay pushed up? No, because everyone was afraid of riots breaking out. As soon as the Media was shut up, so did everything else. People went back to their lives within a few days. Nothing was closed, there were no ridiculous college students outside protesting. Everything was normal. You see where this is going?
I think all of us at FLAME, especially those in the School of Communication, should take this into account. You guys will be the ones involved in the business in a few years from now, and who knows, with a little luck and some effort you might be leading it. Do you guys really want to be the ones that enable murderers to make the transition to Terrorists? Do you guys want to be the ones that peddle panic and fear? I think those are questions that all of us should consider, all around the nation.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The Pledge before we join Flame
We all know about the usual new-year resolutions which we make and break in no time. Some would argue that, “Resolutions are made to be broken!” There are others who want to shape a career, build a future and desire to learn about their objectives in life. People like me wish to quit smoking and also to take up painting. Others still, want to earn a Gold Medal and would not think twice before burning the mid-night lamp.
We are all about to hit the campus in two to three weeks time and emotions are running high. With a lot of things going on in the mind, some of us haven’t even thought if we need to take any resolutions before we reach the campus.
For those who do believe in introspection, this is the place for you to put in your List of Resolutions before you hit the campus.
We are all about to hit the campus in two to three weeks time and emotions are running high. With a lot of things going on in the mind, some of us haven’t even thought if we need to take any resolutions before we reach the campus.
For those who do believe in introspection, this is the place for you to put in your List of Resolutions before you hit the campus.
Its time to take the Oath – My Resolutions!
Verghese Kurien, Milkman of India, was called a “bloody fool” by a noted dairyman and director of dairy research, Professor William Riddet of New Zealand when he visited Anand. This was mainly because Kurien was trying to produce milk-powder out of buffalo milk at a time when New Zealand was the primary exporter of milk powder to India and experts were convinced of the view that it could not be produced out of buffalo milk.
Twenty four hours before the inauguration of the Amul factory at Anand on the 31st of October, 1956, the experiment was successful and milk powder was produced for the first time using buffalo’s milk. Pandit Nehru, inaugurated the factory, and told Kurien just before leaving, that he was glad that India had people like him who can get done things that cannot be done. Today, India produces an estimated 1.65 lack tonnes of milk powder annually, much more than what New Zealand produces.
Mr. Rajinder Johar of Delhi was paralyzed below the neck by the shots of three gun men who had broken into his house. He was thrown into a world of negative thoughts and depression for a long time till he decided to fight with life. He thought that people who were well off, had others to take care of them, however, there is nobody to take care of the disabled poor.
He started the Apna Rozgar scheme, for providing self dependence to the physically challenged. His idea was that of providing economic help along with an understanding of managing the business. By rough estimates, there are already around 325 people in Delhi and its nearby suburbs, who have benefited directly from his scheme. It includes Jatinder Kumar, a victim of gunshot in Punjab terrorism, who runs a kirana store; Ashok Kumar of Dabri, a Polio victim, who runs an STD Booth; Mohini Devi of Sultanpuri, a paralysis patient, who owns a small grocery store; among others.
Many of such known as well as not-so-known acts of heroism will show how these great people resolved to fight for their ambition. It tells about how they decided on their target and worked with single minded determination to ensure that they achieve it. It also forces me to think of all the Resolutions which I have made to myself each year and not always kept the promises I made to myself.
We are all on the verge of charting a new course in our lives with FLAME. There would certainly be lots of promises being made to parents, friends, well-wishers and also to one’s own self. It could be a big promise that could change the ways of the world or just a small thought of leading a life of discipline. It could be a desire to learn and also to use the knowledge for shaping a career or it could be a journey where one would want to find a destination for his life.
Let us all look at the dream which was seen by the founders of FLAME and how well have they managed to keep up to their promises. Had they failed, we would not be packing our bags to join them on this mission.
Its time, we did some serious introspection and took our pledges. Its time, we noted them down and shared them with our mentors to seek their help in achieving them and also abstaining from getting deviated.
Do share with us your feelings and stories on Resolutions which you had made and achieved/failed to achieve. There would be several resolutions close to your heart, which others would have made to make sure that you arrive to this stage of your career. Send in your messages to flamepune@gmail.com and we will help you share your thoughts with others.
Twenty four hours before the inauguration of the Amul factory at Anand on the 31st of October, 1956, the experiment was successful and milk powder was produced for the first time using buffalo’s milk. Pandit Nehru, inaugurated the factory, and told Kurien just before leaving, that he was glad that India had people like him who can get done things that cannot be done. Today, India produces an estimated 1.65 lack tonnes of milk powder annually, much more than what New Zealand produces.
Mr. Rajinder Johar of Delhi was paralyzed below the neck by the shots of three gun men who had broken into his house. He was thrown into a world of negative thoughts and depression for a long time till he decided to fight with life. He thought that people who were well off, had others to take care of them, however, there is nobody to take care of the disabled poor.
He started the Apna Rozgar scheme, for providing self dependence to the physically challenged. His idea was that of providing economic help along with an understanding of managing the business. By rough estimates, there are already around 325 people in Delhi and its nearby suburbs, who have benefited directly from his scheme. It includes Jatinder Kumar, a victim of gunshot in Punjab terrorism, who runs a kirana store; Ashok Kumar of Dabri, a Polio victim, who runs an STD Booth; Mohini Devi of Sultanpuri, a paralysis patient, who owns a small grocery store; among others.
Many of such known as well as not-so-known acts of heroism will show how these great people resolved to fight for their ambition. It tells about how they decided on their target and worked with single minded determination to ensure that they achieve it. It also forces me to think of all the Resolutions which I have made to myself each year and not always kept the promises I made to myself.
We are all on the verge of charting a new course in our lives with FLAME. There would certainly be lots of promises being made to parents, friends, well-wishers and also to one’s own self. It could be a big promise that could change the ways of the world or just a small thought of leading a life of discipline. It could be a desire to learn and also to use the knowledge for shaping a career or it could be a journey where one would want to find a destination for his life.
Let us all look at the dream which was seen by the founders of FLAME and how well have they managed to keep up to their promises. Had they failed, we would not be packing our bags to join them on this mission.
Its time, we did some serious introspection and took our pledges. Its time, we noted them down and shared them with our mentors to seek their help in achieving them and also abstaining from getting deviated.
Do share with us your feelings and stories on Resolutions which you had made and achieved/failed to achieve. There would be several resolutions close to your heart, which others would have made to make sure that you arrive to this stage of your career. Send in your messages to flamepune@gmail.com and we will help you share your thoughts with others.
My Impromptu Interview
Tonight is definitely an interesting night. This afternoon, Rahul and I were thinking about ways to better the blog, and content for the future. Out of the blue, it hit me that we could do an interview with Parag Shah and everyone else involved in FLAME. So I went and asked. Neither Rahul nor I had anything ready for an Interview, and we decided that we would think up of content tomorrow morning, and get the best questions together to ask. We just didn't expect Mr. Parag Shah to get back to us so quickly.
To our surprise, he got back to us less an hour ago, and stated that he'd answer anything we had and arrange for interviews with anyone on Staff and Faculty. I, personally, had nothing to ask. The first thing that came to my head was mobile phones, because someone was talking to me about them on MSN. So I asked him that, and he told me that most of these things would be covered in the Student Manual that we'll all receive on the 16th of September, and that it's almost complete. He did tell me that we are allowed to use and answer our phones anywhere except in class and during official ceremonies.
The next thing I asked was about open office hours, in which we could visit Faculty members to discuss anything. We will apparently be having those, and the Management will have an open dinner with us every month. He surprised me even further by saying that his office was open at any time for us.
My next question was about joint activities involving UG and PG. He said that there would be two theater productions that would be a joint activity, as well as a theater festival. These are foundation activities. He also told me that we'd be divided into houses, and there would be intra-house competitions, quizzes, and other things planned for us. The houses right now are named very generic names like Red, Green, etc because they thought it would be better for us to evolve the house names ourselves, and leave our mark on FLAME. He also told me that there would be a 10 Film Retrospective and a Film Appreciation course. So we'll have a lot of activities together, and a lot more separately.
The last thing I found out, which should be of interest to some of you, is that the Student Council will be comprised of both UG students and PG students. Also, the elections will be held on the 3rd Saturday after the Union Dinner, and continue on that way every year. So we won't have to elect our student body from Orkut.
I truly apologize if I got nothing of interest through my questions. I was not expecting him to get back to us this quickly, and we plan on having a much more formal interview sometime soon. Until then, thanks for reading.
To our surprise, he got back to us less an hour ago, and stated that he'd answer anything we had and arrange for interviews with anyone on Staff and Faculty. I, personally, had nothing to ask. The first thing that came to my head was mobile phones, because someone was talking to me about them on MSN. So I asked him that, and he told me that most of these things would be covered in the Student Manual that we'll all receive on the 16th of September, and that it's almost complete. He did tell me that we are allowed to use and answer our phones anywhere except in class and during official ceremonies.
The next thing I asked was about open office hours, in which we could visit Faculty members to discuss anything. We will apparently be having those, and the Management will have an open dinner with us every month. He surprised me even further by saying that his office was open at any time for us.
My next question was about joint activities involving UG and PG. He said that there would be two theater productions that would be a joint activity, as well as a theater festival. These are foundation activities. He also told me that we'd be divided into houses, and there would be intra-house competitions, quizzes, and other things planned for us. The houses right now are named very generic names like Red, Green, etc because they thought it would be better for us to evolve the house names ourselves, and leave our mark on FLAME. He also told me that there would be a 10 Film Retrospective and a Film Appreciation course. So we'll have a lot of activities together, and a lot more separately.
The last thing I found out, which should be of interest to some of you, is that the Student Council will be comprised of both UG students and PG students. Also, the elections will be held on the 3rd Saturday after the Union Dinner, and continue on that way every year. So we won't have to elect our student body from Orkut.
I truly apologize if I got nothing of interest through my questions. I was not expecting him to get back to us this quickly, and we plan on having a much more formal interview sometime soon. Until then, thanks for reading.
My Admission Story
I've always found other people's experiences and thoughts to be more interesting than a prospectus or a lecture by some jaded college official. Not that anyone in FLAME is jaded in any way, but as a general figure of speech. Those of you that actually do know me or have read anything I've written know that I'm blunt to the point of insanity. This is going to be a completely honest story. I'm going to take all of you through the exact mental process I went through while joining FLAME. A lot of it might not be nice, and a lot of it might make you think that FLAME isn't that great of a place. Just remember one thing as you read this though. I'm going to FLAME, and I haven't regretted this decision in the slightest.
I first heard about FLAME from my Uncle, Dr. Ravi Paturi. I wasn't interested at all, in the beginning. I wanted to go to Manipal and do my Engineering in Computer Science. My Uncle, in all fairness, did try to convince me and my Dad. He showed us a booklet that FLAME published known as 'Yatra'. I'm sure many of you who are joining in the same year as I am have seen it. I thought that thing was a joke. It was pathetic, since it didn't tell you anything about the Institute or the teachers, or even what it was. It was a weird poetic verse about a bunch of guys who got lost, and then dreamed about building an Institute. Oh, and I also got a CD with a bunch of architectural drawings. Compare that with Manipal, it's history, and it's renowned reputation. Not a match, right? That's what I figured, and threw the packet away. I didn't even think about it again. Sure, my Uncle did come over and discussed it with my Dad, but I never really paid attention.
I think I started to change my mind about Manipal, and Engineering as a whole, in February, one month before my exams. I had lots of time on my hands, so I began looking into it. Manipal's illustrious history seemed a little odd to me at that time. Studying exactly what was given, writing exams, and then forgetting about it really didn't appeal to me. Nor did the rather horrid selection of extra-curricular activities. So I started looking for alternatives. The best thing that I found at that time, was to take a gap year and apply somewhere abroad. Then exams started, and my time to contemplate was severely limited.
As exams went on, I saw all my friends obsessing over colleges and streams. None of them actually cared about what they would go onto to do, but more about what college they got into and what kind of a name it had. They were all content with getting into a software company, and then living an ordinary, happy life. I never wanted something like that. Between them, their choices, and the limiting choices in India I pretty much decided to take a gap year right there, or get into a program at Manipal and then go into a different profession altogether. Perhaps Biomedical Engineering, and then Medical School in the U.S.A.
Then my Uncle took me to the Group Discussion and Interview for the second test. It was at a hotel called Taj Mahal. The place looked nice, but it had awful food. Mind you, that was partially my mistake. Never go into a restaurant famed for it's South Indian dishes and order North Indian food. It never comes out good. I met some of the kids going to FLAME, and they were pretty interesting. Then I met Professor Himanshu, and General Mehta. That's when FLAME started to look like a place of interest to me. I came home, looked up the FLAME website and ran a Google Search on FLAME. The most interesting hit I got was for Rashmi Bansal's blog. For those of you that don't know, Rashmi is the Editor for a popular college magazine called JAM. It features stuff like campus surveys, fests going on, exams, issues in colleges, etc. Pretty good read. She wrote about FLAME, and it got me even more interested. Here's the link, if any of you haven't seen it yet:
http://youthcurry.blogspot.com/2007/05/flame-foundation-for-liberal-and.html
So, as I was saying, I explored the website for a while. Looked up the curriculum, the Five Universes, and then went to faculty. That was what really surprised me. What I saw wasn't a group of your run-in-the-mill professors who join a starting institute for the hell of it. These were established people with good jobs and standing in Education. So I looked them up, one by one, and I was impressed even more with everything I saw. Still, the lure of being able to have a degree from a place like Manipal, and applying for my M.D/P.H.D program in a place like NYU seemed worth four years of torture. I still wasn't convinced about FLAME.
Then my Uncle wanted me to take the admission test. I don't know about you guys, but I thought the first part of it was a little silly, especially the verbal section and that kid with the weird brain. The concept was different, and new, but wasn't quite thought out. The Admission Test is mistakenly called a Two-Part test. It's actually three parts. The first one is Multiple choice test, with the verbal and math sections. The second part is the writing sample. The first one was to talk about how to make India a better place. Generic, and fun to write. I didn't have enough time to finish mine. I didn't even form a well written conclusion. I just tried to close it off in the best manner possible in the five minutes that I had. It was awful, trust me. Then they had us looking at pictures and writing a story about them in three minutes. I thought that was weird, mainly because the first few pictures were all about children. Also, three minutes isn't enough time to analyze, depict, and write. You can draw a picture in three minutes, but you can't write in three minutes.
Then came my group discussion and interview. Let me tell you one thing about Interviews. It's awkward enough talking to a stranger about stuff that matters to you, especially when said stranger is there to judge you. It become even more awkward when your very own Uncle, Professor Nagaraj Paturi, is on the panel that listens to you and judges you. When I walked into that room, and saw my Uncle there, the first thought that went through my head was "CRAP!". I honestly didn't know how to react. How would anyone react? Do you talk to your Uncle at an Interview for college? Ask him how your younger cousins are, tell him about your Dad, etc? More importantly I didn't know if Professor Veena Yadav, the other person on the panel, knew about my Uncle. So I made the best decision I could, and pretty much ignored my Uncle throughout the entire thing. I responded to his questions as I would to someone I didn't know. More on the GD though. The topic they picked for us was 'Are we becoming too dependent on Technology?". I thought it was an awful topic. Lucky for me though, they made two mistakes before the Group Discussion.
The first was that they didn't get to know us before selecting the topic. The second was that they gave us a decent amount of time to get to know each other. So as soon as it started, I went first. That gave me an opening to steer the topic away from something as silly as "OMFG TECHNOLOGU NUUU!!!!", to something like "How is Technology affecting the Indian Economy today?". We had a great discussion on that, with the exception of two people. We were a group of six, by the way.
During my Interview, I had a chance to talk to Professor Veena Yadav, who impressed me as much as Professor Himanshu did. These were people who were interesting, and I had so much I could learn from them. Not only in terms of their respective subjects and areas, but beyond the classroom. That was pretty much what sealed the deal for me. Great professors, great curriculum, and a diverse and interesting student body. What more could a person ask for, with the exception of Unlimited coke and a Pizza Hut and Dominos on campus?
So, I got accepted, and am now joining FLAME.
I first heard about FLAME from my Uncle, Dr. Ravi Paturi. I wasn't interested at all, in the beginning. I wanted to go to Manipal and do my Engineering in Computer Science. My Uncle, in all fairness, did try to convince me and my Dad. He showed us a booklet that FLAME published known as 'Yatra'. I'm sure many of you who are joining in the same year as I am have seen it. I thought that thing was a joke. It was pathetic, since it didn't tell you anything about the Institute or the teachers, or even what it was. It was a weird poetic verse about a bunch of guys who got lost, and then dreamed about building an Institute. Oh, and I also got a CD with a bunch of architectural drawings. Compare that with Manipal, it's history, and it's renowned reputation. Not a match, right? That's what I figured, and threw the packet away. I didn't even think about it again. Sure, my Uncle did come over and discussed it with my Dad, but I never really paid attention.
I think I started to change my mind about Manipal, and Engineering as a whole, in February, one month before my exams. I had lots of time on my hands, so I began looking into it. Manipal's illustrious history seemed a little odd to me at that time. Studying exactly what was given, writing exams, and then forgetting about it really didn't appeal to me. Nor did the rather horrid selection of extra-curricular activities. So I started looking for alternatives. The best thing that I found at that time, was to take a gap year and apply somewhere abroad. Then exams started, and my time to contemplate was severely limited.
As exams went on, I saw all my friends obsessing over colleges and streams. None of them actually cared about what they would go onto to do, but more about what college they got into and what kind of a name it had. They were all content with getting into a software company, and then living an ordinary, happy life. I never wanted something like that. Between them, their choices, and the limiting choices in India I pretty much decided to take a gap year right there, or get into a program at Manipal and then go into a different profession altogether. Perhaps Biomedical Engineering, and then Medical School in the U.S.A.
Then my Uncle took me to the Group Discussion and Interview for the second test. It was at a hotel called Taj Mahal. The place looked nice, but it had awful food. Mind you, that was partially my mistake. Never go into a restaurant famed for it's South Indian dishes and order North Indian food. It never comes out good. I met some of the kids going to FLAME, and they were pretty interesting. Then I met Professor Himanshu, and General Mehta. That's when FLAME started to look like a place of interest to me. I came home, looked up the FLAME website and ran a Google Search on FLAME. The most interesting hit I got was for Rashmi Bansal's blog. For those of you that don't know, Rashmi is the Editor for a popular college magazine called JAM. It features stuff like campus surveys, fests going on, exams, issues in colleges, etc. Pretty good read. She wrote about FLAME, and it got me even more interested. Here's the link, if any of you haven't seen it yet:
http://youthcurry.blogspot.com/2007/05/flame-foundation-for-liberal-and.html
So, as I was saying, I explored the website for a while. Looked up the curriculum, the Five Universes, and then went to faculty. That was what really surprised me. What I saw wasn't a group of your run-in-the-mill professors who join a starting institute for the hell of it. These were established people with good jobs and standing in Education. So I looked them up, one by one, and I was impressed even more with everything I saw. Still, the lure of being able to have a degree from a place like Manipal, and applying for my M.D/P.H.D program in a place like NYU seemed worth four years of torture. I still wasn't convinced about FLAME.
Then my Uncle wanted me to take the admission test. I don't know about you guys, but I thought the first part of it was a little silly, especially the verbal section and that kid with the weird brain. The concept was different, and new, but wasn't quite thought out. The Admission Test is mistakenly called a Two-Part test. It's actually three parts. The first one is Multiple choice test, with the verbal and math sections. The second part is the writing sample. The first one was to talk about how to make India a better place. Generic, and fun to write. I didn't have enough time to finish mine. I didn't even form a well written conclusion. I just tried to close it off in the best manner possible in the five minutes that I had. It was awful, trust me. Then they had us looking at pictures and writing a story about them in three minutes. I thought that was weird, mainly because the first few pictures were all about children. Also, three minutes isn't enough time to analyze, depict, and write. You can draw a picture in three minutes, but you can't write in three minutes.
Then came my group discussion and interview. Let me tell you one thing about Interviews. It's awkward enough talking to a stranger about stuff that matters to you, especially when said stranger is there to judge you. It become even more awkward when your very own Uncle, Professor Nagaraj Paturi, is on the panel that listens to you and judges you. When I walked into that room, and saw my Uncle there, the first thought that went through my head was "CRAP!". I honestly didn't know how to react. How would anyone react? Do you talk to your Uncle at an Interview for college? Ask him how your younger cousins are, tell him about your Dad, etc? More importantly I didn't know if Professor Veena Yadav, the other person on the panel, knew about my Uncle. So I made the best decision I could, and pretty much ignored my Uncle throughout the entire thing. I responded to his questions as I would to someone I didn't know. More on the GD though. The topic they picked for us was 'Are we becoming too dependent on Technology?". I thought it was an awful topic. Lucky for me though, they made two mistakes before the Group Discussion.
The first was that they didn't get to know us before selecting the topic. The second was that they gave us a decent amount of time to get to know each other. So as soon as it started, I went first. That gave me an opening to steer the topic away from something as silly as "OMFG TECHNOLOGU NUUU!!!!", to something like "How is Technology affecting the Indian Economy today?". We had a great discussion on that, with the exception of two people. We were a group of six, by the way.
During my Interview, I had a chance to talk to Professor Veena Yadav, who impressed me as much as Professor Himanshu did. These were people who were interesting, and I had so much I could learn from them. Not only in terms of their respective subjects and areas, but beyond the classroom. That was pretty much what sealed the deal for me. Great professors, great curriculum, and a diverse and interesting student body. What more could a person ask for, with the exception of Unlimited coke and a Pizza Hut and Dominos on campus?
So, I got accepted, and am now joining FLAME.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Hello
Hello everyone, my name is Pranav Patoori and I'm the newest writer/Editor of the FLAME Blog. Rather than telling you about me, which is completely irrelevant anyway, I thought I'd have this post focus more on the direction this blog will take in the coming months.
At the moment, we are days away from the start of the Preparatory Program for PG Students at FLAME. That means we are days away from the opening of FLAME. My fellow Editor, and founder of this blog, Rahul and I spent a few days discussing what direction we should take this blog. The first idea that occurred to us was to report on everything going on at FLAME. It was the natural choice, and it was easy to do. Finding out about anything in FLAME wouldn't be hard, since we are a fairly small class.
Then we started thinking that that would be more along the lines of something a newspaper would do, rather than a blog. Reporting on things tends to leave a rather dry feel, and make for a boring read in the long run. Rahul and I wanted to keep this blog as more of a human thing rather than a newsreel.
So in the coming months, this blog will talk about stuff happening at FLAME. What it will not do is merely be a substitute newspaper. We plan on focusing more on our stories and experiences within FLAME. What we learn through our interactions with the faculty, the visiting faculty, and the Management. The experience of the admissions process, the wait, how the Union Dinner was. It will focus on what is happening behind-the-scenes. We'll talk about everything from the formation of clubs, the newspaper, to the process behind exams.
What we want is for this blog to become a resource for both current FLAME students, and for prospective ones. So if there's an event being planned at FLAME, you'll find out info about it here. You'll get to read about ideas thrown around, who came up with the original plan for it, and what the reaction/opinion to that is.
I, however, do not want this blog to become a random creativity outlet. A lot of you guys are talented at so many things. I could take a girl named Pankti off the top of my head who writes amazing poetry. There are people on the Facebook community who write insanely deep short stories. What I don't want to see is this blog become the publishing place for those. One, it limits the audience that these people might have, and that would be horrid. The second thing is that it detracts from the main value of the blog, and it's focus.
The biggest thing, however, is that this blog remains fluid. We do not want our mandate set in stone, and not grow beyond that. For that, we need your help. Any ideas, questions, concerns, ANYTHING, is always appreciated. If you think you might be a good writer for this blog, or that you know someone who might be, let us know.
We're also looking for people with pictures, mainly ones with students and Faculty rather than buildings. I think we've all accepted that those are more important than buildings.
So until next time, which will probably be this evening, I'm out.
At the moment, we are days away from the start of the Preparatory Program for PG Students at FLAME. That means we are days away from the opening of FLAME. My fellow Editor, and founder of this blog, Rahul and I spent a few days discussing what direction we should take this blog. The first idea that occurred to us was to report on everything going on at FLAME. It was the natural choice, and it was easy to do. Finding out about anything in FLAME wouldn't be hard, since we are a fairly small class.
Then we started thinking that that would be more along the lines of something a newspaper would do, rather than a blog. Reporting on things tends to leave a rather dry feel, and make for a boring read in the long run. Rahul and I wanted to keep this blog as more of a human thing rather than a newsreel.
So in the coming months, this blog will talk about stuff happening at FLAME. What it will not do is merely be a substitute newspaper. We plan on focusing more on our stories and experiences within FLAME. What we learn through our interactions with the faculty, the visiting faculty, and the Management. The experience of the admissions process, the wait, how the Union Dinner was. It will focus on what is happening behind-the-scenes. We'll talk about everything from the formation of clubs, the newspaper, to the process behind exams.
What we want is for this blog to become a resource for both current FLAME students, and for prospective ones. So if there's an event being planned at FLAME, you'll find out info about it here. You'll get to read about ideas thrown around, who came up with the original plan for it, and what the reaction/opinion to that is.
I, however, do not want this blog to become a random creativity outlet. A lot of you guys are talented at so many things. I could take a girl named Pankti off the top of my head who writes amazing poetry. There are people on the Facebook community who write insanely deep short stories. What I don't want to see is this blog become the publishing place for those. One, it limits the audience that these people might have, and that would be horrid. The second thing is that it detracts from the main value of the blog, and it's focus.
The biggest thing, however, is that this blog remains fluid. We do not want our mandate set in stone, and not grow beyond that. For that, we need your help. Any ideas, questions, concerns, ANYTHING, is always appreciated. If you think you might be a good writer for this blog, or that you know someone who might be, let us know.
We're also looking for people with pictures, mainly ones with students and Faculty rather than buildings. I think we've all accepted that those are more important than buildings.
So until next time, which will probably be this evening, I'm out.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The online world at the ‘gurukul’
Emails, maintaining of social contacts and calendars, online dating, gaming, pornography, searching for reference material, etc., all forms of a part of the world-wide-web. A free access on the campus, gives a free will to the students, to indulge in all of these and probably a lot more that one cannot even imagine of, on the internet.
While it would be interesting to see what is the modus operandi adopted by the IT team to keep the free minds of Flame from wandering or even getting lost in this virtual world once the session begins; the importance of these websites, which have become a part of our very existence, cannot be over-emphasized.
I wish to mobilize public opinion here as to whether free and un-restricted access to the internet should be provided to all the students on campus or not? At the same time it’s crucial to understand its merits as well as the outcome of its abuses and its effect on the future of the student’s career. Do send in your opinion on the same.
While it would be interesting to see what is the modus operandi adopted by the IT team to keep the free minds of Flame from wandering or even getting lost in this virtual world once the session begins; the importance of these websites, which have become a part of our very existence, cannot be over-emphasized.
I wish to mobilize public opinion here as to whether free and un-restricted access to the internet should be provided to all the students on campus or not? At the same time it’s crucial to understand its merits as well as the outcome of its abuses and its effect on the future of the student’s career. Do send in your opinion on the same.
Kut-kut against Orkut
For once let’s not discuss about all the abuses of decency and privacy on the social networking websites and on the internet. There are probably a lot more shades to look at when we talk of the virtual world that most of us are glued to, almost throughout the day.
It’s a well known fact that we usually begin the day by checking our emails and then moving on to social networking websites among other things on the internet. There are times, when we are logged on to these worlds while we are exploring other important things on the internet. According to a recent survey, people spend an average of 186 minutes on each of their sessions on Facebook (a popular social networking website similar to Orkut). There is almost everything available in the virtual world today when compared to a few decades back when we had never even imagined the existence of a separate world away from the real one within our computer screens.
What is usually overlooked in the process of remaining in touch with our network is the fact that so much of useful time is actually being wasted, which otherwise could have led to greater efficiency and output. Psychologists are of the opinion that these websites are extremely addictive and it is extremely difficult for a person to stay away from it once they start using it.
These arguments lead to two pertinent questions when moderated in context to our college. First: what is the extent of internet usage that would be permitted to us on the campus? Second: how do we manage to refrain ourselves from the excessive usage of these websites if we are provided with complete liberty?
As for the first, none of us can really be sure of what is in store for us, in terms of restrictions on campus. I am sure that in a situation where there is no constraint being levied traversing the surreal world, there would be excessive usage of the 24*7 free access. This could lead to loss of concentration from matters which require greater importance and attention, notwithstanding the loss of productive time. We could also see the complete ban being levied on the usage of these web worlds by the college for saving the degenerating young minds.
As for the second, I would love to mention about Mr. Derek Sorenson, owner of a website repair company 50 miles outside of London. He has invented an application which acts as an alarm and reminds you of the amount of time that you have been spending online on something which is not a part of what your work responsibility demands. His invention, “NOTWORKING” is an application, which you can download onto your desktop (www.websiterepairs.net/notworking.php). It will prompt you of all the hours that you have wasted and the amount of money that you could have earned in the same amount of time. A bright yellow box appears on the screen and shows you the number of hours and also the amount of money that you could have earned otherwise had you been working for the same duration (users need to provide their hourly earnings in a currency of their choice). If you do activate the cumulative setting on this application, it will resume calculating your time from every time you last logged-off from the internet.
Those of us, who have been working in the past and enjoyed the privilege to access the internet on their office computers, will vouch that a lot of time is actually wasted with it. It usually begins with the checking of e-mails on several accounts and moves on to searching old friends and replying to messages on the social networking websites not to mention all the other things which form a part of this virtual world. One rarely realizes or calculates the actual loss that he/she has suffered due to the above usage.
It would be some time, till we come to terms with the reality on the campus, but it would definitely be interesting to see the stand which the college takes on this rather issue which could be controversial for many students.
It’s a well known fact that we usually begin the day by checking our emails and then moving on to social networking websites among other things on the internet. There are times, when we are logged on to these worlds while we are exploring other important things on the internet. According to a recent survey, people spend an average of 186 minutes on each of their sessions on Facebook (a popular social networking website similar to Orkut). There is almost everything available in the virtual world today when compared to a few decades back when we had never even imagined the existence of a separate world away from the real one within our computer screens.
What is usually overlooked in the process of remaining in touch with our network is the fact that so much of useful time is actually being wasted, which otherwise could have led to greater efficiency and output. Psychologists are of the opinion that these websites are extremely addictive and it is extremely difficult for a person to stay away from it once they start using it.
These arguments lead to two pertinent questions when moderated in context to our college. First: what is the extent of internet usage that would be permitted to us on the campus? Second: how do we manage to refrain ourselves from the excessive usage of these websites if we are provided with complete liberty?
As for the first, none of us can really be sure of what is in store for us, in terms of restrictions on campus. I am sure that in a situation where there is no constraint being levied traversing the surreal world, there would be excessive usage of the 24*7 free access. This could lead to loss of concentration from matters which require greater importance and attention, notwithstanding the loss of productive time. We could also see the complete ban being levied on the usage of these web worlds by the college for saving the degenerating young minds.
As for the second, I would love to mention about Mr. Derek Sorenson, owner of a website repair company 50 miles outside of London. He has invented an application which acts as an alarm and reminds you of the amount of time that you have been spending online on something which is not a part of what your work responsibility demands. His invention, “NOTWORKING” is an application, which you can download onto your desktop (www.websiterepairs.net/notworking.php). It will prompt you of all the hours that you have wasted and the amount of money that you could have earned in the same amount of time. A bright yellow box appears on the screen and shows you the number of hours and also the amount of money that you could have earned otherwise had you been working for the same duration (users need to provide their hourly earnings in a currency of their choice). If you do activate the cumulative setting on this application, it will resume calculating your time from every time you last logged-off from the internet.
Those of us, who have been working in the past and enjoyed the privilege to access the internet on their office computers, will vouch that a lot of time is actually wasted with it. It usually begins with the checking of e-mails on several accounts and moves on to searching old friends and replying to messages on the social networking websites not to mention all the other things which form a part of this virtual world. One rarely realizes or calculates the actual loss that he/she has suffered due to the above usage.
It would be some time, till we come to terms with the reality on the campus, but it would definitely be interesting to see the stand which the college takes on this rather issue which could be controversial for many students.
Monday, August 20, 2007
The best for me at FLAME
FLAME is definitely not just about Liberal and Management education. It’s a place where the young minds would be ignited and propelled into the future to take up challenges. The setting of the college as well as its creative rendition in the college brochure ‘yatra’ could not have been any better. Kudos, to all who have been working behind the scenes, as well as in-front, for this project.
I cant resist but start a discussion about what is going to be the favorite hang-out location for each one of us on the campus. For me, the best option would be to sit next to the lake and paint.
Do share with all of us where we could find you most often and what would be the reason for you being there?
I cant resist but start a discussion about what is going to be the favorite hang-out location for each one of us on the campus. For me, the best option would be to sit next to the lake and paint.
Do share with all of us where we could find you most often and what would be the reason for you being there?
Flame’s Pit Stop and Your Story
There might be many reasons to hang out at the Pit Stop. A quick filler before the class, a meeting point, a centre for group arguments (group discussion is what the saner form of mankind would be doing) or for not having anything to do at all.
What will be your reason for being at the Pit Stop and how do you think that you will make this place special for yourself? Do share with all of us.
What will be your reason for being at the Pit Stop and how do you think that you will make this place special for yourself? Do share with all of us.
“Our Coffee Shop - Pit Stop” “Karma Kitchen” and “An Experiment in Generosity”
The Pit Stop would probably be one of my most frequently visited locations on the campus (apart from the lake side, golf course and the amphitheatre) Perhaps the need for that extra dose of caffeine once you are a part of any seat of higher education is what draws your mind there. Heated debates and smart discussions along with the relaxed I-have-nothing-to-do-feeling is something acts as to motivator to draw one towards the coffee shop.
I guess that the fate of the Pit Stop will be decided once the sessions begin, however the Karma Kitchen on Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, California, is a place which has already made a name for reasons worth sharing.
Popularly called as ‘experiment in generosity’, this place is much unlike the traditional restaurants where you eat, pay and just walk off. Karma Kitchen, developed by Viral and Pavi Mehta along the lines of Seva Café in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, offers the traditional Indian ‘thali’ every Saturday evening. I agree that there is nothing too unusual in that. What really sets this place apart from the rest is that people from different nationalities, eat together and don’t pay for the food. Karma Kitchen is managed by a group of ten volunteers each week who manage the show and the profile of volunteers includes senior citizens, Harvard graduates, CEO’s and even students from the University of California.
The get-together each week usually ends up with making new friends or helping the volunteers in some way or the other. The donations which this place receives are equally intriguing such as a couple from an Organic Fruit Farm dropping a crate of peaches, an editor of an arts magazine stacking up his books on the activity table, leaving behind a packet of handmade greeting and postcards or even singing a song for the chefs, Vshnuji and Kamalji.
Karma Kitchen is a lot more than just a place to hog. It brings several other memories to my mind including Indian Coffee House at College Street, Kolkata, the several restaurants at the IIT Kharagpur campus named as “Eggies”, “Veggies”, “Cheddis”, etc and many more similar places where a foodie like me would always be present.
I have high hopes from our Pit Stop not in terms of what they would be offering. Just waiting for my first date with that place and I am sure that I would be able to find enough reasons to keep returning to it.
I guess that the fate of the Pit Stop will be decided once the sessions begin, however the Karma Kitchen on Telegraph Avenue, Berkeley, California, is a place which has already made a name for reasons worth sharing.
Popularly called as ‘experiment in generosity’, this place is much unlike the traditional restaurants where you eat, pay and just walk off. Karma Kitchen, developed by Viral and Pavi Mehta along the lines of Seva Café in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, offers the traditional Indian ‘thali’ every Saturday evening. I agree that there is nothing too unusual in that. What really sets this place apart from the rest is that people from different nationalities, eat together and don’t pay for the food. Karma Kitchen is managed by a group of ten volunteers each week who manage the show and the profile of volunteers includes senior citizens, Harvard graduates, CEO’s and even students from the University of California.
The get-together each week usually ends up with making new friends or helping the volunteers in some way or the other. The donations which this place receives are equally intriguing such as a couple from an Organic Fruit Farm dropping a crate of peaches, an editor of an arts magazine stacking up his books on the activity table, leaving behind a packet of handmade greeting and postcards or even singing a song for the chefs, Vshnuji and Kamalji.
Karma Kitchen is a lot more than just a place to hog. It brings several other memories to my mind including Indian Coffee House at College Street, Kolkata, the several restaurants at the IIT Kharagpur campus named as “Eggies”, “Veggies”, “Cheddis”, etc and many more similar places where a foodie like me would always be present.
I have high hopes from our Pit Stop not in terms of what they would be offering. Just waiting for my first date with that place and I am sure that I would be able to find enough reasons to keep returning to it.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Celebrating a week of thanks-giving
There are many people who have played a role, in us reaching where we stand today in life. I personally think of not less than ten such people who have played a big role my admission process. Their actions of going out of the way to help in the process are so special that we can never thank them enough.
Let us celebrate this week to thank all such people. Share your story about all those special people who have played a role in your life to make you reach where you are today.
Do send in your stories and comments and to read my message, just go ahead and read the post which immediately follows this one. Let us all celebrate this week with our odes for all such people who have stood for us.
Let us celebrate this week to thank all such people. Share your story about all those special people who have played a role in your life to make you reach where you are today.
Do send in your stories and comments and to read my message, just go ahead and read the post which immediately follows this one. Let us all celebrate this week with our odes for all such people who have stood for us.
Thank You to all the Bank Managers
Goodness still exists in this world. Though not completely, but to a considerable extent.
Mr. Mahendra Garasia, Sr. Branch Manager at Bank of India in Surat, Gujarat, is one such example. His actions prompted me to write this special note of thanks.
The entire admission process is lengthy and complicated. To make matters even more difficult is the huge cost which education at FLAME involves. Like many other batch mates from the college, the completion of the documentation and securing (almost) a loan from the bank has been a huge task for me.
I belong to a middle class family and lived in many towns and cities in the past; sometimes for education sake and sometimes for work. So have my parents who, by now, are tired of shifting houses. We are presently in Surat where we have been stagnant for some time now.
I have a long list of banks turning down my plea for an education loan. The biggest obstacle being that we don’t have a property or other collaterals such as insurance policies, fixed deposits, etc. People appreciated the merit, congratulated on looking at the past records, got impressed as well, but when it came to going out of the way to help a deserving candidate, they all stepped back.
This is when I met Mr. Garasia who studied every single word of my entire application. He looked at all the academic transcripts and the certificates which I had received while at college and later at my work place. His conclusion was: I will help you in whatever manner possible to ensure that you don’t have to suffer or re-think about education just because of money.
His words are still resounding in my ears just as clear as always when he said that bank managers need to change their paradigms today. When managers provide funds for education to a deserving or needy student and help him/her in making a career, they should look at it as an opportunity.
I salute to your values Mr. Garasia and promise that this lesson which you have taught me today, I would replicate whenever I am capable of.
Though my loan is yet to be approved (I am still stuck with getting two wealthy local guarantors) but this motivation which I got from Mr. Garasia, will help me tackle most of the obstacles in the processing.
I should also thank my friend Pallav from the birth place Raniganj, who got my father’s tax file collected from the Chartered Accountant and sent it across to me in a day’s time. I am obliged to my friends in Kolkata, Shreya and Sumit, who ran from the college to the University to help me get my transfer certificate, apply for migration certificate, etc. I would also like to thank my brother and sister in law who sent me the initial advance fee all the way from Australia without me asking for it.
On this Blog today, I would also like to make an appeal to all the readers that let us thank that special someone, who has helped us in even a small way to help us in reaching where we stand today. There are many occasions in life when people just appear out of nowhere and help you when you least expected them to. Let us thanks each one of them out here.
A few lines of memories, in respect of these people, would not take long to write. Please share your experience with these special people so as to send your homage in a small way. If you have an interesting tale to share, then send it across to flamepune@gmail.com and I would post it for others to see. Let us give these men and women of honor whatever little we possibly can.
Mr. Mahendra Garasia, Sr. Branch Manager at Bank of India in Surat, Gujarat, is one such example. His actions prompted me to write this special note of thanks.
The entire admission process is lengthy and complicated. To make matters even more difficult is the huge cost which education at FLAME involves. Like many other batch mates from the college, the completion of the documentation and securing (almost) a loan from the bank has been a huge task for me.
I belong to a middle class family and lived in many towns and cities in the past; sometimes for education sake and sometimes for work. So have my parents who, by now, are tired of shifting houses. We are presently in Surat where we have been stagnant for some time now.
I have a long list of banks turning down my plea for an education loan. The biggest obstacle being that we don’t have a property or other collaterals such as insurance policies, fixed deposits, etc. People appreciated the merit, congratulated on looking at the past records, got impressed as well, but when it came to going out of the way to help a deserving candidate, they all stepped back.
This is when I met Mr. Garasia who studied every single word of my entire application. He looked at all the academic transcripts and the certificates which I had received while at college and later at my work place. His conclusion was: I will help you in whatever manner possible to ensure that you don’t have to suffer or re-think about education just because of money.
His words are still resounding in my ears just as clear as always when he said that bank managers need to change their paradigms today. When managers provide funds for education to a deserving or needy student and help him/her in making a career, they should look at it as an opportunity.
I salute to your values Mr. Garasia and promise that this lesson which you have taught me today, I would replicate whenever I am capable of.
Though my loan is yet to be approved (I am still stuck with getting two wealthy local guarantors) but this motivation which I got from Mr. Garasia, will help me tackle most of the obstacles in the processing.
I should also thank my friend Pallav from the birth place Raniganj, who got my father’s tax file collected from the Chartered Accountant and sent it across to me in a day’s time. I am obliged to my friends in Kolkata, Shreya and Sumit, who ran from the college to the University to help me get my transfer certificate, apply for migration certificate, etc. I would also like to thank my brother and sister in law who sent me the initial advance fee all the way from Australia without me asking for it.
On this Blog today, I would also like to make an appeal to all the readers that let us thank that special someone, who has helped us in even a small way to help us in reaching where we stand today. There are many occasions in life when people just appear out of nowhere and help you when you least expected them to. Let us thanks each one of them out here.
A few lines of memories, in respect of these people, would not take long to write. Please share your experience with these special people so as to send your homage in a small way. If you have an interesting tale to share, then send it across to flamepune@gmail.com and I would post it for others to see. Let us give these men and women of honor whatever little we possibly can.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Are the pre-term assignments too much to ask at this time?
It is a fact that assignments and activities will be a part and parcel of every minute of existence at FLAME. However, at this point in time, when there is a huge time constraint in the form of loan processing, admission formalities, scholarship applications, last minute preparations, etc. are the pre-term assignments becoming a burden more than anything else?
Do share your views if you agree with this idea of pre-test assignments or not?
Do share your views if you agree with this idea of pre-test assignments or not?
The Independence of the Mind
In the year 1928, the British Government increased the land revenue assessment for the taluka by an exorbitant 30 percent. When the peasants of Bardoli in Gujarat approached Sardar Vallabhbhi Patel for help, he told them, “If you oppose the government, your sufferings will multiply. You will lose you lands and houses; the government will do its best to crush you. You will not have a grain of rice or a drop of milk, and the women and children will suffer sheer misery. Consider well. If you are confident you have the grit to face all this, let us fight.” Thus began the Civil Disobedience Movement and journey of Sardar Patel to anchor the people against the British Government.
Here we stand today, 79 years later, to see this small town turned into a city buzzing with malls, apartments, expensive bungalows, et-all. Most of the families have the foreign connection and NRI money flows into the city from all over the world. Getting access to liquor in this alcohol-free-state is not too difficult upon paying a small premium. However, what bothers me the most is the sad state of the Swaraj Ashram which does not receive grants from the government any more and the trustees are forced to lease out a part of the premises for its upkeep and maintenance.
Are the youth of today not able to see this reality or has it become too easy to overlook such matters and live only for oneself?
I strongly support the Discover India initiative which will be a part of the curriculum of the under-graduate students of FLAME. They would be traveling in groups to different parts of the country in groups to gain first hand experience of the rich cultural heritage of India. They will then share their experience using an AV or a visual presentation as a part of the contest.
A similar project had been undertaken a decade back called the Azad Bharat Rail Yatra where a team of 200 participants set out on a 14 day journey stretching over 8000 kilometers to touch the length and breath of the country. The same is being repeated this year with around 400 participants traveling around 7000 kilometers (http://www.jagritiyatra.com/).
These projects, apart from being a great memory, will open the minds of the minds and show the real face of the nation. A nation of more than a billions people, with a rich cultural heritage, with two parts completely different from each others, with a diversity of languages, and a lot more. These projects will specifically be helpful to those city dwellers who have only seen a couple of tourist destinations apart from their usual place of boarding. These projects will not only bring joys and wonder but also show the pains and sorrows of this nation. It will slap the truth on the face of the participants. They will have the choice or either accepting it or taking an oath to work out solutions for it.
As we celebrate the 60 years of Indian Independence today without having much clue about what it truly means, we should take this opportunity to reach out to our gurus in the campus. People like General Mehta, and others, who have know the real meaning of being a true citizen could show us a way to contribute to the well being of our nation in a manner which we are capable of. Let us for once think beyond out daily needs and do something for a nation which has the capability of becoming the strongest in the world. Let of for once make an effort to bring a smile on a persons face. Let us to once act as responsible citizens even if there are thousands around us who don’t behave in this manner. Let us take one step without expecting something in return.
I wish all the readers of this blog a very Happy Independence Day. I also pray that this flame, which has been ignited with a purpose, shines brightly forever in future. Let it make the nation and its people proud.
Here we stand today, 79 years later, to see this small town turned into a city buzzing with malls, apartments, expensive bungalows, et-all. Most of the families have the foreign connection and NRI money flows into the city from all over the world. Getting access to liquor in this alcohol-free-state is not too difficult upon paying a small premium. However, what bothers me the most is the sad state of the Swaraj Ashram which does not receive grants from the government any more and the trustees are forced to lease out a part of the premises for its upkeep and maintenance.
Are the youth of today not able to see this reality or has it become too easy to overlook such matters and live only for oneself?
I strongly support the Discover India initiative which will be a part of the curriculum of the under-graduate students of FLAME. They would be traveling in groups to different parts of the country in groups to gain first hand experience of the rich cultural heritage of India. They will then share their experience using an AV or a visual presentation as a part of the contest.
A similar project had been undertaken a decade back called the Azad Bharat Rail Yatra where a team of 200 participants set out on a 14 day journey stretching over 8000 kilometers to touch the length and breath of the country. The same is being repeated this year with around 400 participants traveling around 7000 kilometers (http://www.jagritiyatra.com/).
These projects, apart from being a great memory, will open the minds of the minds and show the real face of the nation. A nation of more than a billions people, with a rich cultural heritage, with two parts completely different from each others, with a diversity of languages, and a lot more. These projects will specifically be helpful to those city dwellers who have only seen a couple of tourist destinations apart from their usual place of boarding. These projects will not only bring joys and wonder but also show the pains and sorrows of this nation. It will slap the truth on the face of the participants. They will have the choice or either accepting it or taking an oath to work out solutions for it.
As we celebrate the 60 years of Indian Independence today without having much clue about what it truly means, we should take this opportunity to reach out to our gurus in the campus. People like General Mehta, and others, who have know the real meaning of being a true citizen could show us a way to contribute to the well being of our nation in a manner which we are capable of. Let us for once think beyond out daily needs and do something for a nation which has the capability of becoming the strongest in the world. Let of for once make an effort to bring a smile on a persons face. Let us to once act as responsible citizens even if there are thousands around us who don’t behave in this manner. Let us take one step without expecting something in return.
I wish all the readers of this blog a very Happy Independence Day. I also pray that this flame, which has been ignited with a purpose, shines brightly forever in future. Let it make the nation and its people proud.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The first blog for FLAME
What started as a web log around ten years back as a list of websites that a person had visited in a particular day has seen a complete revolution and become a part of everyday life of millions of people across the world. TOI reported on the 12th of August, 2007, that according to Blog-tracker Technorati, there are presently 93.8 millions blogs on the internet and still counting. Wikipedia calls blogs as either a commentary or news on a particular subject and at times it also functions like a personal diary.
This particular website which you are currently viewing, viz: flamepune.blogspot.com is also one such blog in case you were not sure about it. The motive behind creating a blog of such kind when there is already a website in place for the college is simple:
1) What was lacking in the professional and the good looking webpage of the college is a vent out for the feelings of all those related directly or indirectly with FLAME. This blog will make an effort to show the good, the bad and also the ugly face of the college. The concept is similar to the working of the democracy where the opposition keeps a regular check on the working of the ruling majority.
2) On a lighter perspective, this space will offer a platform to all the budding people who form a part of the FLAME family. It includes mainly the present students. However, contributions from the management, administration, faculty as well as outsiders, is welcome at all points in time. This place is open for all those who want to showcase any shade of this institution as long as it is not derogatory or defamatory. A debate is welcome, however, it needs to be within the realms of decency.
3) Any one can contribute to this blog unlike other blogs where it is only the moderator who has the right to post. The ‘Ed’ in this case will only ensure that there is a basic standard of language as well as logic which is maintained in all the postings. “Need Help” is a section to which people can suggest subjects where they require any form of assistance. “Whats Buzzing” will report all the recent happenings in and about the institution from the contributions which it receives. It will also display pictures of the events if they are so submitted to the Ed. “Opinions” will carry debates on burning issues from time to time. Comments on either side of the fence are welcome. If there is any material, article or a subject of discussion which could be useful to the present members or prospective ones in any manner, it needs to be reported under the section called, “Assist Your Friends”. In case there is a great idea, which breaks your slumber at night, to improve the working of the institution or any part of it, then just send it across for reporting under the section called, “Burning Ideas”. If there is something which does not fall in any of these categories and you feel that it is in no context with this institution, yet you cannot wait to get it published, “Just About Anything” is the just the place for you. For contributions to each of these sections, just mention the name of the section in the subject line and send it across to flamepune@gmail.com along with your name and batch details. You can even keep your personal details anonymous if you so desire. The publishing of the same will remain the discretion of the Ed. However, this Ed sitting here is for the purpose of selection and not rejection. So feel free to submit.
4) This blog also aims to be a student platform, which runs parallel to the management of the institution. Its strength will depend on the acceptance which it receives from the students and all others who are related to FLAME directly or indirectly. It is not going to be a rebellion or a union, but it would definitely open the eyes to those things which would otherwise have gone under the wraps.
So, with the spirit of true liberal education and a liberal mind, not the mention the joy of blogging completing ten years, I hereby welcome you all to this small community.
They say that to err is human and I a one of the lesser mortals. So please bear with me if I do err. You can check me and challenge me at any point in time to show me the right direction in which I need to take this journey. I would appreciate a direct challenge on the face rather than a dagger on the back.
Cheers to FLAME and let it shine.
This particular website which you are currently viewing, viz: flamepune.blogspot.com is also one such blog in case you were not sure about it. The motive behind creating a blog of such kind when there is already a website in place for the college is simple:
1) What was lacking in the professional and the good looking webpage of the college is a vent out for the feelings of all those related directly or indirectly with FLAME. This blog will make an effort to show the good, the bad and also the ugly face of the college. The concept is similar to the working of the democracy where the opposition keeps a regular check on the working of the ruling majority.
2) On a lighter perspective, this space will offer a platform to all the budding people who form a part of the FLAME family. It includes mainly the present students. However, contributions from the management, administration, faculty as well as outsiders, is welcome at all points in time. This place is open for all those who want to showcase any shade of this institution as long as it is not derogatory or defamatory. A debate is welcome, however, it needs to be within the realms of decency.
3) Any one can contribute to this blog unlike other blogs where it is only the moderator who has the right to post. The ‘Ed’ in this case will only ensure that there is a basic standard of language as well as logic which is maintained in all the postings. “Need Help” is a section to which people can suggest subjects where they require any form of assistance. “Whats Buzzing” will report all the recent happenings in and about the institution from the contributions which it receives. It will also display pictures of the events if they are so submitted to the Ed. “Opinions” will carry debates on burning issues from time to time. Comments on either side of the fence are welcome. If there is any material, article or a subject of discussion which could be useful to the present members or prospective ones in any manner, it needs to be reported under the section called, “Assist Your Friends”. In case there is a great idea, which breaks your slumber at night, to improve the working of the institution or any part of it, then just send it across for reporting under the section called, “Burning Ideas”. If there is something which does not fall in any of these categories and you feel that it is in no context with this institution, yet you cannot wait to get it published, “Just About Anything” is the just the place for you. For contributions to each of these sections, just mention the name of the section in the subject line and send it across to flamepune@gmail.com along with your name and batch details. You can even keep your personal details anonymous if you so desire. The publishing of the same will remain the discretion of the Ed. However, this Ed sitting here is for the purpose of selection and not rejection. So feel free to submit.
4) This blog also aims to be a student platform, which runs parallel to the management of the institution. Its strength will depend on the acceptance which it receives from the students and all others who are related to FLAME directly or indirectly. It is not going to be a rebellion or a union, but it would definitely open the eyes to those things which would otherwise have gone under the wraps.
So, with the spirit of true liberal education and a liberal mind, not the mention the joy of blogging completing ten years, I hereby welcome you all to this small community.
They say that to err is human and I a one of the lesser mortals. So please bear with me if I do err. You can check me and challenge me at any point in time to show me the right direction in which I need to take this journey. I would appreciate a direct challenge on the face rather than a dagger on the back.
Cheers to FLAME and let it shine.
The power of ONE
The number system should begin at one and end there. There is no zero as it does not have any positive value by itself and there is no plural as they seem to show that they are stronger than one. Numbers cannot be combined with each other to form a new number as there is just one identity, one existence, one requirement, one purpose of living, one dimension, one method, one goal and just one road which leads to it. They cannot be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided with each other as they challenge the very power of one. There cannot be variables as there should be no variables. Variables have no strength. There cannot be ‘constants’ as there is just one constant and that is one. There is no history as there is just present. Future cannot be variable as it is a constant which is one. There is no variable in the present as present is one and that present does not have any co-relation with past just as one, the only number, cannot be combined with another one. There is just one desire, just one love, just one direction to move, just one purpose of existence, just one work, just one satisfaction and just one pain when you are not one.
There is just one death and so there is just one life. Why do people die more than once? There is just one self as that is the only thing that you are born with. Why do people stop thinking about themselves? There is just one nation as there is just one world. Why do people even try to divide it? There is just one belief and there is just one who believes in it. Why don’t they completely believe in just one and forget about anything more or less than it? There is just one sight though there are two eyes, there is just one sound though there are two ears, there is just one smell though there are two nostrils, there is just one feeling of touch though there are several cells, there is just one brain though there are two halves to it, there is just one thought as there is just one purpose and that thought is about the purpose of existence.
There is just one death and so there is just one life. Why do people die more than once? There is just one self as that is the only thing that you are born with. Why do people stop thinking about themselves? There is just one nation as there is just one world. Why do people even try to divide it? There is just one belief and there is just one who believes in it. Why don’t they completely believe in just one and forget about anything more or less than it? There is just one sight though there are two eyes, there is just one sound though there are two ears, there is just one smell though there are two nostrils, there is just one feeling of touch though there are several cells, there is just one brain though there are two halves to it, there is just one thought as there is just one purpose and that thought is about the purpose of existence.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Need help for bank loan application
One cannot but deny that the cost of education at FLAME is not something that is can be easily be managed by most of the people. The ground reality is that education loans from the bank are a must for almost all the students. And so is the reality that one has to go through a harrowing process of meeting all kinds of government ‘babus’ to get something which is well deserved.
I would request those who have either already secured a loan or have gone through this process to kindly help us with it. Throwing light on the names of the banks where getting a loan for studying with FLAME has already worked out with a rate of interest which is competitive will really help. Also, if there are students who have not provided any form of collateral or minimum collateral and funded the remaining amount on their own, please share the information and the experience with us.
I would request those who have either already secured a loan or have gone through this process to kindly help us with it. Throwing light on the names of the banks where getting a loan for studying with FLAME has already worked out with a rate of interest which is competitive will really help. Also, if there are students who have not provided any form of collateral or minimum collateral and funded the remaining amount on their own, please share the information and the experience with us.
Need help to apply for scholarship
I guess that most of the meritorious and needy students have already been awarded with the scholarships. However, there are a few like us who have secured their admissions really late and its time now for us to apply for assistance from the college.
It would be really good if some of those who have been successful with the application can throw some light on how to make this application so as to be able to stand a good chance of getting a scholarship.
It would be really good if some of those who have been successful with the application can throw some light on how to make this application so as to be able to stand a good chance of getting a scholarship.
Will the construction work complete on time?
For people who had a second campus tour on the 6th of August, 2007, it was surprising to see the amount of development which the construction work has seen in the college. The pace of work and the progress was definitely something more than just impressive. However, with less than a month left for the sessions to begin, it’s a big question whether General Mehta and his team will be able to deliver the promises which they have made on time.
Today, we seek the opinion of the readers as to whether they feel that the construction of the basic infrastructure of the college will complete before the beginning of the terms on the 9th of September?
Today, we seek the opinion of the readers as to whether they feel that the construction of the basic infrastructure of the college will complete before the beginning of the terms on the 9th of September?
Time Will Prove
One is easily led to believe in something that one wants to. With the young minds who seeking admissions to FLAME and desperately craving for a miracle to happen in their careers, it is not very difficult for them to start building very high hopes from the institution.
I guess, its time we did a reality check ourselves before we took the deep dive into our pockets to shell out that big money for education.
There is no harm in accepting the strength of the values and the philosophy which FLAME proposes. However, to what extent will this turn into a complete reality is something that needs to be judged realistically.
Liberal education is a new concept for this country and imbibing this philosophy into the hearts and the minds of the students will not be an easy task. It is therefore one of the biggest challenges to make the students unlearn the traditional methodology and dogmas which have been engrained into them for so many years and to make them start accepting and adapting to this new system of education.
Time will also show if the efforts of General Mehta and his army of 1400 workers pays off and that they are able to complete the basic infrastructure before the beginning of the three schools on the 9th of September, 2007. The hard work and unmatched efforts are certainly laudable. However, it can only be fully praised if it is able to generate the desired results by meeting the test of time.
A bigger worry to rob the sleep of the final year students will be when they start calculating the return on their investments. It is for sure that they would be getting a lot more than the basic degree and the knowledge of the subjects which they have paid for. However, with the huge cost incurred on undertaking the entire course, it remains a big question mark on the quality as well as the quantity of the placements which are generated at the end of the two years.
One would argue that, it would probably be wrong to judge the strength of the institution on such grounds. However, once the students are out of the college and into the practical world, they would certainly stop at times to ask themselves as to what they have actually got out of the college. If they are happy with the reply then, it would true success for FLAME.
Whether this will happen or not is something that cannot be predicted or planned. It is only time that will reveal the true fruits of all the labor that has gone into this great mission. I personally would love to see its success. Let us all do whatever is capable on our part to take FLAME to its much deserved position.
I guess, its time we did a reality check ourselves before we took the deep dive into our pockets to shell out that big money for education.
There is no harm in accepting the strength of the values and the philosophy which FLAME proposes. However, to what extent will this turn into a complete reality is something that needs to be judged realistically.
Liberal education is a new concept for this country and imbibing this philosophy into the hearts and the minds of the students will not be an easy task. It is therefore one of the biggest challenges to make the students unlearn the traditional methodology and dogmas which have been engrained into them for so many years and to make them start accepting and adapting to this new system of education.
Time will also show if the efforts of General Mehta and his army of 1400 workers pays off and that they are able to complete the basic infrastructure before the beginning of the three schools on the 9th of September, 2007. The hard work and unmatched efforts are certainly laudable. However, it can only be fully praised if it is able to generate the desired results by meeting the test of time.
A bigger worry to rob the sleep of the final year students will be when they start calculating the return on their investments. It is for sure that they would be getting a lot more than the basic degree and the knowledge of the subjects which they have paid for. However, with the huge cost incurred on undertaking the entire course, it remains a big question mark on the quality as well as the quantity of the placements which are generated at the end of the two years.
One would argue that, it would probably be wrong to judge the strength of the institution on such grounds. However, once the students are out of the college and into the practical world, they would certainly stop at times to ask themselves as to what they have actually got out of the college. If they are happy with the reply then, it would true success for FLAME.
Whether this will happen or not is something that cannot be predicted or planned. It is only time that will reveal the true fruits of all the labor that has gone into this great mission. I personally would love to see its success. Let us all do whatever is capable on our part to take FLAME to its much deserved position.
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